It is widely accepted that a significant reduction in accidents involving commercial trucks and trailers is likely to be achieved by ensuring that key components of such equipment are inspected on a regular basis. Such inspections can detect worn tires and brakes before they cause an accident.
To avoid accidents caused by defective equipment, Federal law presently requires that commercial drivers make a visual inspection of specific components on any type of vehicle which has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 lb (11,793 kg) or more. Components for which inspection is required include the brake system, fuel system, warning lights, tires, etc. An exemplary vehicle inspection report listing the components and systems that must be inspected by a driver to satisfy the DOT regulations is illustrated in FIG. 7. However, under the current system, a driver is only required to fill out a paper log and keep it on file for 90 days. Many experts report that less than half of the drivers ever perform the check. Instead, many drivers simply fill out the report while seated in the cab of the truck or in a coffee shop. The report is meaningless unless the listed components and systems have actually been inspected. For example, a driver who fails to actually inspect components on his vehicle will fail to detect that brake fluid is leaking from a hydraulic master brake cylinder. As a result, the brakes on the driver's truck may fail, potentially causing a serious accident.
It would be desirable to provide method and apparatus to facilitate performing such important vehicle inspections.